PRIDE | REVIEW & GIVEAWAY
We are revisiting my fine review of PRIDE in celebration of its release onto Blu Ray, DVD and DIG this week – this was one of my favourite movies of 2014 and I cannot wait to see it again with the parental units and to own my own copy – this is must see viewing people! With huge thanks to our besties at eOneANZ we have 3x copies on Blu Ray up for grabs, revisit (or read for the first time) my review and find out how to win down below! All the best and good luck……….JK.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE FROM NOVEMBER 2, 2014
PRIDE is a movie I have missed at festivals, media screenings and anything that popped up pre-release due to illness or other commitments. It is one of my most anticipated films of the year for a few reasons (gay theme, Bill Nighy, heartwarming and George MacKay). The trailer just melted me the first time I saw it. I had already pre-judged this film before entering the cinema, I would love it and it would be awesome. The good news is that it’s not just me, including me every single person in the packed out session loved this movie. There were many laughs, many tears, maybe a cheer and even a wee clap, and this was just from me! This film is a sensational marvel and will be in my top films of the year. It is out now from eOneANZ, it is rated M and runs for exactly two hours.

REVIEW BY JASON KING
The setting is Onllwyn, a small mining village in Wales, the time is 1984 and this is based on a true story. Mark and his motley crew of gays and lesbians are activists, they fight for right, live in a world of 80s gay with Bronski Beat and underground gay clubs and Mark is watching the plight of the miners and has an epiphany, what is their difference to the struggle of the gays? They are getting beaten by the police, they are being incredibly judged by the world and are considered scum for them fighting for what is right, for going against the grain, a grain that would see towns die throughout the country. They start fundraising with a a group they form called LGSM – Lesbians and Gays Supporting Miners and they make some decent coin. As such they start calling miner’s groups and it all falls flat, no one returns their calls, people hang up on them and then Mark has his next epiphany, just call one of the mining towns and see if they can help and so he places a call to Onllwyn and gets answered by the slowest, oldest person in the town.
What happens next is colliding cultures of minority groups who are closer in their cause than each of them can understand. They both have their struggles and by coming together are stronger in their unity. It isn’t easy, not everyone wants to partner with the gays, especially in the dawn of AIDS. But a cause and a cause on the right path is more than raising money and carrying banners, it is about solidarity and meeting new people, people who are more than what you can imagine them to be.

And this is the huge success of this movie, it is the clashing of cultures and seeing them unite in bad times to better humanity, it should not be overlooked, these people literally made history through their unity. It also helps that the gays are all so adorable :). Their leader, Mark (Ben Schnetzer) is gorgeous, and passionate and a die hard fighter for a cause. He is determined to make this happen and not afraid of stepping out of the comfort zone. LGSM ends up in Onllwyn and both worlds change. The motley crew of gays, and one lesbian are all awesome, you will immediately fall in love with all of them.
Being a true story there is a lot to fit in. Andrew Scott is Gethin, the owner of the gay book store and also the only member of LGSM who is actually Welsh, his small side story appears a bit out of kilter with the story but it also adds to the kindness and mending of worlds through solidarity. And the film also moves between plights, the plight of the miners is a good two thirds of the film but constantly in the background is the plight of the gays, and the last third of the film moves towards the plight of the gays, this was the hardest for me to deal with, it was the time I was going through my discovery and coming out – Joe (George MacKay) was the person I related to – I was 13 and starting high school when this all happened, being gay was bloody hard, but at least we, or at my age, I, was not being surrounded by the AIDS disaster, the first gay man I knew, who was a hostie on QANTAS, died, he was a family friend, and this was the first time it hit my world. LGSM was fighting a struggle for others, while a new disaster was forming in their own world, if anyone needed support it was the LGSM.

Not sure where director Matthew Warchus has been hiding since he directed SIMPATICO in 1999. But he is back, and what a beautiful film to come back for and to forever be known for. He juggles a lot into this move but does it exceptionally and still delivers the feel good movie of 2014. His cast is massive and also sublime. Schnetzer is brilliant, as is MacKay, the big names of Bill Nighy, Dominic West and Paddy Considine all give exceptional understated performances that enhance as opposed to hinder the leads and for the first time I can say I love seeing Imelda Staunton on-screen and that I have finally let go of my hatred for Dolores Umbridge and forgiven her 🙂 She is one of the starts of this movie – just sensational. The rest of the cast are all brilliant, there is just so many of them to list – but I must give a special mention to Sian played by Jessica Gunning, she was so strong and besides the worst hair of the year on film, she stood out in this film as one of the best performances.
This is 2014’s Billy Elliot, it is the feel good movie of the year and feels like a giant hug of goodness, I will own this on Blu Ray and will be trying to take my parents to it. There is nothing to flaw.
With special thanks to eOneANZ to win one of the 3X BLU RAYs of PRIDE you need to either like and share/ retweet this post on Facebook/Twitter/ Google+/ Pinterest/ LinkedIn/ Flipboard or Instagram (all the links to follow us are on the top right of homepage), you then need to leave a comment below stating the answer/s to the following questions:
What is your favourite gay themed movie and why? I actually have a Top 25 – HERE – but my all time favourite is A BEAUTIFUL THING – my list gets updated every year and this year the movie BOYS will be added to it.
If you do not have social media then get with the times – you can still enter, leave your entry below and email me at jking@saltypopcorn.com.au telling me you don’t have social media (you still need to enter on the website).
Prizes will no longer be awarded to first in first served. It will now be a game of skill and selected purely on the thoughts of the judges, said judges being the Salty Kernels.
The prizes will be sent after MAR 15th! Good luck! Oh, and minor housekeeping – huge apologies for overseas readers, this competition is only available to Australian residents.
Can’t wait to see this movie! My mum actually called me a couple of weeks ago to ask me to take her to see it as we had seen the preview for it but it wasn’t out as yet, so I’ll be taking her some time this week to see it. Sounds great judging by the review!
It is brilliant Michelle, your mum will be in hysterics and will also bawl her eyes out – it is all round, perfect.
My favourite gay-themed movie is a tough question! My favourite film, Mulholland Drive, is driven by a lesbian romance, and Persona/Fight Club are both amazing, but none of those are explicitly gay-themed. Laurence Anyways is queer-themed and spectacular, but I supposed not technically “gay.” So let’s go with the unambiguously gay Stranger by the Lake.
Amazing choices David!! I have a copy of STRANGER BY THE LAKE at home – still have not seen it – will bust it out ASAP – also if you have seen PRIDE don’t forget to add your own score out of 5 to the movie!!
I know Brokeback Mountain often tops many people’s lists but I wasn’t as stunned. I just loved My Own Private Idaho (if it qualifies as a gay movie?). I think it’s possibly Gus Van Sant’s best work to date and maybe Keanu’s too. River Phoenix is just amazing in this, what an incredible loss. I can only imagine the actor he would have become.
One of the best choices ever Richard – Idaho is one of my all time favourite movies – was obsessed when it came out – still have a framed photo of River walking down the highway on my wall at home – incredible loss indeed!! And if you have seen PRIDE don’t forget to add your own score out of 5 to the movie review!!
I loved Pride, it took me completely by surprise. I wasn’t expecting it to be anywhere as good as it was. As you know I like my cinema to be on the dark and challenging side and I’m not a fan of that sub-genre of film-making that is the British working-class feel-good comedy which this seemed to be screaming out as being a gay version of so imagine my shock and surprise when I was barely 15 minutes into the film and already a scene managed to make me teary !!! That was the scene when Paddy Considine (who usually turns up in my type of gritter social realism style films) makes his speech to the club in London. It’s a perfect example of how Pride manages to expertly combine laughs with moments of poignancy and weaves topics of gravity seemlessly into the plot. It wasn’t the last time I got teary during the film either. Maybe I was just feeling really fragile the day I watched it. Anyway I didn’t hesitate to watch it a 2nd time in the cinema.
I’m not sure what my favourite gay film is. I could definitely write one of my 1000 word essays on it very rapidly but I’ll spare you that. My Own Private Idaho was definitely a really important film to me when it came out but seeing as we’re discussing a great British film from last year, I’ll mention A Beautiful Thing instead. At the time I saw it, it just seemed to be a refreshing affirmative film quite at odds with other gay cinema and it’s much to my chagrin that I’ve never gotten around to watching it a 2nd time almost 20 years later.
I never got around to seeing this as our local cinemas didn’t screen it, so I’d love to win a copy.
My favourite gay movie of all time would have to be Philadelphia. When it was released in the early 90’s, it was probably the first movie that really opened up my eyes to the prejudice and homophobia that is associated with the gay community. Tom Hanks is one of my favourite actors, and he really gave that movie a voice. All these years later and it is still a firm favourite of mine.
As a child of the 80s My Beautiful Laundrette captured the spirit of that era. Through all the homophobia, racism and struggles against Thatcherism this film had a charm and romance that lifted you up and made you feel that the future would be better.
Pride actually is, because the characters are adorable but also because it was dead sexy when the blonde guy snogged the guy at the concert.
Brokeback Mountain watching the wifes favourite movie stars kissing in this movie it was a romance that lasted a long period
Mine is ‘The Naked Civil Servant’ from way, way back in the 70s! Quentin Crisp was an ‘in your face’ person in a time when it wasn’t safe to be so but he went through life in his own inimitable fashion and ended up being the toast of New York.
my own private idaho is in my all time favourite movie lists!
‘The Sum Of Us’ may have dated quite badly, but it’s very watchable and inspiring to see a father and son living their lives.
I’ll go for maybe a more recent film but Blue is the Warmest Color would be my pick.
My beautiful Launderette – Set in an intolerant 80s in England, with Thatcherism at its height, Stephen Frears movie is an insight into the homophobia and struggles of acceptance of gay people in the 80s. A great movie but also pleasing to see how far, in comparison, the world has come in the proceeding 30 years.
Shelter, where the young boy meets a slightly older guy in his 30s who is so relaxed, well adjusted and into the young boy. and they live happily ever after by the beach with a kid and a dog, and its just surfing and so on… not a care in the world.
I also loved Pride, and I’m looking forward to seeing it again. I think it’s because as you mention you will fall in love with the gays (and one lesbian), and they really do put a smile on your face. I too think Imelda Staunton gives a standout performance – it might be a smaller role, but she plays it so well.
As for a favourite gay film, I’ve got quite a few, but I think I might go for Weekend. I know it was not your favourite – did you re-watch it? if not, why not? You really need to give it another go, or perhaps two if you’re being stubborn. I liked the rawness of the film, both in the direction and the acting. I really believed that it was real – I believed in the characters; I believed in the story, and that for me is rare. I did not know who it was going to end. Perhaps a little of me fancied Tom Cullen (who was in Downton Abbey) too. I really want to watch it again, and if you haven;t so should you.
Gosh, that’s one rave review and I love Billy Elliot and films that are based on true stories. I always think it’s amazing the little-known stories that can be dug up to tell on film and that make such amazing movies instead of the same old same old we see getting repeated, rebooted and remade time and time again. I’ve been fortunate too in that I’ve never known anyone to have been affected by AIDS but I do have family and friends who’ve lost people close to them and it’s not a topic that has been touched on very often in films so it’s interesting to hear that it’s handled well in Pride.
I know it’s an oldie but I still love My Own Private Idaho, I was secretly in love with River Phoenix as a teenager and used to cut out and hide posters of him from my sister’s teen magazines so to see the object of my teenage affection playing a gay character in such a monumental film was really striking and affecting and not one I’m sure will ever be beaten. It still makes me sad to this day to think of what a loss River was to the acting community.
Prick Up Your Ears – The movie is about the spectacular life and violent death of Joe Orton – an amazing talent but whose talent and success lead him to being estranged and killed by his older & not so extroverted lover. This is a classic piece of film-making all the more tragic as it’s based on a true story and led to the early demise of potentially one of England’s playwrights. Gay or Straight, you will love this film!
WINNERS ARE GRINNERS 🙂
GRATZ to:
MICHELLE V
PATRICK BATEMAN
RICHARD HARRISON